Personal amp evolution

Very nice freediver especially when you made the move to tubes.  I’m still playing around making changes like sampling different flavors of ice cream.  I listed the preamps used with the amps as I believe it gives more useful information.  I’m downsizing soon back to an integrated and one less box soon.  But to update, here’s what I’ve had up to date:

Here’s my amp/int amp/rec’r journey from 1984 to 2020:

1. Yamaha M50, crown straight line 1 preamp
2. Sansui AU717
3. NAD 2155, Luxman preamp & Acoustat TNP pre
4. B&K ST140, Acoustat TNP pre, Music reference RM5 mkII pre & dyna PAS 2
5. Dynaco ST70, Dyna PAS 3
6. McIntosh MC225, Music Reference pre
7. B&K EX442 Sonata - sounded almost exactly like the Paoli’s), Music Ref pre
8. Paoli M60 monoblocks, Music Ref pre
9. cj MV50, Music Ref pre
10. Music Reference RM9, Music Ref pre
11. AMC CVT-3030
12. Mac 1900 Rec’r
13. Mitsubishe DA-R7 rec’r
14. Creek 5050 int.
15. Acurus A80, Hegeman Hapi2 pre
16. Early Korneff 6bq5 SE int.
17. John Ecklund PP6bg6 triode - moded Conn organ amp
18. Custom KT66 SE int (from ebay)
19. Onix OA-21s
20. ads A-2
21. JVC AX-55, 80 watt Special class A int.
22. Musical Fidelity B1
23. Kailin 6bq5 int
24. Rawsonte Brick gainclones, Superphon Rev. Basic Dual Mono preamp 
25. Audio Space Mini-Galaxy II (EL84 int)
26. John Ecklund PP6bg6 triode - moded
27. Yamaha AX-550 int amp
28. Tandberg 3030 receiver
29. Fleawatt TPA3122 D2 Soft Maple amp 
30. Fleawatt cigar box amp TPA3122
31. Fleawatt TDA7297 Zebrawood
32. Optonica SM-1515B int.
33. Creek 4330
34. Onix OA-20/2
35. Ditton Elan DI-260
36. Denon DRA-700 receiver 
37. Antique Sound Lab MG-si15DT 
38. Tandberg TIA-3012
39. early B&K ST140/Technics SU-9070 pre
40. Gemtune GS-01
40a.  GemTune GS-01 / Aragon 24 K preamp
41. Muse Model 100 amp/Model 1 preamp
42.  Custom EL84 amp / Museatex AVC1 preamp
43.  Nikko Alpha 130 / Museatex AVC1 preamp
44.  Jim McNally 6B4G SET / Museatex AVC1 pre
45.  Amber Series 70 / Museatex AVC1
45a.  Custom Dual 3118 chip amp / Museatex AVC1


And the most memorable/best sounding: Mac MC225, Music Ref RM9, Korneff, 6bg6, the Onix’s, the B&K’s, Paolis, the Fleawatt’s, ASL, Tandberg 3012, Muse combo, GemTune GS-01

And the worst sounding/bigest disappointment: cj (just didn’t mate up with the MR preamp), Musical Fidelity B1, Kailin (fans just too darn loud), MAC1900 (great tuner but early SS harsh sounding amp) 

To many to name, but journey has ended with a Toolshed Transcendence 300b Amp. Absolutely gorgeous looking but even better sounding. Matt is a master builder.

Adcom GFA-565 mono blocks
Threshold T-200
Krell KSA-250 for almost 30 years
D-Sonic M3a-600M, amazed

I posted in Nov 2017 how I picked up the Ayre VX-5 Twenty but I sold it the following July, so it didn't really work for me.  I then picked up a Magnus Audio MA-400, which has worked well with my current setup.  I'm in the process of selling my speakers so I can move to bigger full range speakers and eliminate the JL sub, which was similar to a system I had 15 years ago.

This amp evolution has been years in the making. Unfortunately its been a lot of mistakes with a need to play around. As you get older playing around gets tiring and looses it thrill.
Here goes.
NAD 2200 PE
Conrad Johnson MV 45A
B&K ST 140
Audio Research D60
Belles 150
OCM 200
Threshold SA 150
Bryston 3b
Bryston 3b NRB
PSE mono amps
Conrad Johnson Motif
Conrad Johnson 11a
Jeff Rowland model 1
Audio Research D240 Mk2
Audio Research D200
Audio Research D400 Mk2
Pass aleph 5
Audio Research Vt100 MK2
Audio Research VT100 MK3
VTL MB450 MK 2
VTL MB450 signature 
Ayre V2
Ayre V5
Ayre V1 evolution
krell m250
Jeff Rowland model 6
McIntosh 501
Mcintosh 452
Rogue m180
Rogue Medusa
Rogue Apollo’s 
Odyssey Kismets Extremes
Audio Research Ref 75
Audio Research Ref 75se
Audio Research Ref 150se
PS Audio BHK 300
Luxman M900U